Dear Patient,

An important part of the infertility services provided by Stanford Fertility and Reproductive Medicine Center is a psychological support program for our patients and their partners. As you most likely already know, or may have personally experienced, fertility treatments can be physically and emotionally demanding. Feelings of loss of control, isolation, anxiety, and sadness are but a few of the most commonly expressed emotions.

As a way of bridging the gap of mind and body and creating a more humanizing approach to infertility, additional support in the form of individual, couple, or group therapy is now available to you.

Research over the past few years has convincingly demonstrated that by attending to one’s emotional state, the stress associated with infertility can be significantly reduced, and the quality of one’s life restored. Although there remains a lot to learn about the correlation of stress and fertility rates, we do know that the hypothalamus, an organ exquisitely balanced and notoriously sensitive regulates both our stress and reproductive hormones.

The program being offered is designed to be supportive as well as educational. Emphasis will focus on creating a safe and trusting environment for sharing, offering tools and methods to improve communication, and promoting relaxation and a general sense of wellbeing through a difficult and challenging time.

If you have any questions, or would like to find out more about these complimentary services, please contact Penny Donnelly, RN MFT at (650) 723-6408 or send e-mail to: pdonnelly@stanfordmed.org